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apollonaut. Built by People Who've Been

Journal / History

History, architecture & landscape

A palace built
for a victory.

The story of Blenheim Palace, from a nation’s reward to the Duke of Marlborough to a World Heritage Site in Capability Brown’s park.

The Great Court of Blenheim Palace, a broad gravel courtyard before the north front, its portico and towers framed by colonnades
The Great Court of Blenheim Palace, a broad gravel courtyard before the north front, its portico and towers framed by colonnades.

A reward for victory

Blenheim Palace takes its name from the Battle of Blenheim of 1704 and was built as a reward for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, for his victories in the War of the Spanish Succession. The Crown gave him the royal manor at Woodstock, Parliament voted a large sum towards the work, and building began in 1705.

The columns and carved pediment of the main portico at Blenheim Palace, seen from below
The Great Court of Blenheim Palace, a broad gravel courtyard before the north front, its portico and towers framed by colonnades

Vanbrugh and the Duchess

Sir John Vanbrugh designed the palace in a severe English Baroque, working with Nicholas Hawksmoor. After Queen Anne quarrelled with Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, the money stopped and work halted; the Duke resumed it at his own expense in 1716, and after his death in 1722 the Duchess completed the house.

A family home

Capability Brown arrived in 1764 and created the Great Lake by damming the River Glyme. Sir Winston Churchill was born at the palace, and in 1987 Blenheim became a World Heritage Site. It remains the home of the Dukes of Marlborough.

The Long Library at Blenheim Palace, with bookcases, lamps and a red carpet running towards the organ at the far end

Continue exploring

The painted oval ceiling of the Great Hall, high above a row of tall arched windowsA palace for a victoryHow Blenheim was built, and who finished it.The south front of Blenheim Palace, a long Baroque façade of golden stone with a columned portico and corner towers, above a wide lawnWhat to see at Blenheim PalaceState Rooms, library, gardens and park.Plan your visit

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